32 Ramavijaya.
with this lady 7 Thou fool. Go and mind thy busi-
ness." Jatayu insisted and Havana let off arrows at
him. The bird cut off with his bill all the arrows of
the demon-king, broke the head of his charioteer and
killed his horses. Havana alighted, when the bird
pounced upon him and pulled off his 4air. He was alarmed
and stood there bewildered, not knowing what to do.
Tha bird broke his chariot, when the demon-king said,
" Speak the truth. Just tell me how you will die. I.
shall also tell you how I shall die." Jatayu, who was a
simpleton, replied ts If you pull off my wings, I shall die1
instantly." " ISTow just tell me," continued Jatayu, " how
you will die." u If you break my toes/' said Havana,
u I shall die in no time," As soon as this secret was
disclosed by Jafayu, Havana ' went to catch him. The
bird broke one of the toes of his enemy, when the latter
pulled off his wings. Jatayu, saturated with blood, fell
there rolling; and the demon-king, taking Sita on his
shoulders, proceeded towards Lanka. When he reached
the hills, called Matang, five powerful monkeys, Sugriva,
Mala, Nila, Jambuvant and Maruti, who lived there, found
the ornaments thrown by Sita on the ground. Looking
at the ornaments Maruti said, "Pity, some wicked demon,
must have been carrying off a poor woman. I shall kill
the demoa and rescue her." So saying he jumped in the
sky but, in the meantime, Havana entered Lanka with
his prize .and despatched eighteen huge demons to search
.and kill Rama. A few days after his return to Lanka
the demon-king said to Sita, " I beseech you to Harry
me. I am very powerful and have made all the gods my
slaves. There is not a single soul on earth who can equal
me in wealth, strength and valour. If you be my wife,
you will be very happy." "Thou art wicked and a villain,"
replied Sita. " Thou wilt soon die. I shall never bet
thy wife. I loathe thee. Begone, thou fool." Hav-